Thai Roasted Kabocha Squash

Kabocha squash is roasted with shallots, tossed in a Thai style vinaigrette, and topped with fresh cilantro. There are so many amazing flavors in this Thai Roasted Kabocha Squash!

With spring only one day away (allegedly…the sleet on my way to work says otherwise), I need to share one last wintery veggie recipe with you – Thai roasted kabocha squash! While I am so excited for spring and all of the delicious veggies that the season brings, I am a little sad to see squash season go. I loooove squash. And particularly Kabocha squash! However if I had a hard enough time finding it in peak squash season, I’m sure I won’t be coming across it for the next few months.

And speaking of squash season, I need to RUN to ABC Kitchen ASAP to get one last fix of my beloved Kabocha squash toast. TheBetterHalf, if you are reading, let’s go after work!

After my successful quest for Kabohca squash to make squash toast, I had an extra squash leftover. So I decided to roast it up, Thai style!

We have been really into Thai flavors lately. I think we go to Uncle Boons at least every other week. It is becoming a problem! So I wanted to try cooking Thai food at home.

I just love the flavors involved in so many Thai dishes – lime, cilantro, coconut, chilies. But one ingredient that is used in so many Thai recipes scares me….fish sauce! I don’t really like fish at all, so I could never bring myself to buy a bottle of fish sauce. I know that it is in a lot of the sauces that I love at Thai and other Asian restaurants, but I just wasn’t sure I could handle having it in my fridge.

But I finally decided to get over my fear and just do it (ok actually, I made TheBetterHalf go buy it for me ) And guess what – it really isn’t that scary. Although I would not recommend taking a giant whiff of it – the smell is rather pungent! But fish sauce is the secret ingredient that gives so many Thai sauces their delicious flavor. Just a small amount goes a long way!

The squash in this dish is roasted with shallots – that mixture alone would be delicious! But then the whole thing is tossed in a Thai vinaigrette that gives it the most amazing flavor. It is finished with chopped cilantro. I am a huge cilantro lover – the more, the better!

This Thai vinaigrette would be delicious on any roasted veggie, or even on a salad. So if you can’t find Kabocha squash, you can still make a similar dish.

Kabocha squash is roasted with shallots, tossed in a Thai style vinaigrette, and topped with fresh cilantro. There are so many amazing flavors in this Thai Roasted Kabocha Squash!

Ingredients

For the Squash:

1 medium kabocha squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 medium shallot, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

For the Thai Vinaigrette

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons agave

2 teaspoons chili paste

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions

For the Squash:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

Place the squash cubes and the shallots on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 1 T olive oil and 1/8 t salt. Roast for 25 - 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the squash is browned on the outside and soft on the inside. Transfer to a medium bowl.

For the Thai Vinaigrette:

Whisk together all ingredients (except the cilantro)

Drizzle the Thai vinaigrette over the squash, and stir to combine. Sprinkle cilantro over the top and serve. This tastes great warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Comments

Ooooh! I’m loving Thai food so much right now! Loving this squash idea. And I totally feel you about the fish sauce. It gives great flavor, but I can’t stand the smell either. Always worried it’s going to spill in my fridge.

I had the same fear of fish sauce too – it is SO pungent – but when you use it, it just somehow works. I think it’s because you don’t use much and always use so many other complementary flavors with it.

Wow Cate! Thai squash!? This is one of those ideas that restores my faith in human creativity. And way to go for embracing the fish sauce! Whoever is in charge on the marketing end needs to take a hint. Can’t they call it Thai Koi Sauce or something?? Anything but fish sauce lol! Makes me think of buggy eyes and gills. But it suuuure makes curry delicious PS Am I smoking something or did you have a blog redesign that I totally missed? It looks really cute!!

Hi Karen! Thank you for your sweet comment! I redesigned the blog about a month ago, and am loving it! And I totally agree with you on the fish sauce name – I think Thai Koi Sauce would be perfect! Sounds exotic and awesome rather than totally disgusting…

Thanks, Chris! You are going to love Uncle Boons! And I have never seen kabocha squash at my Whole Foods, although it is the smallest one. I found this squash at M2M, an Asian market on 3rd btw 10th and 11th – in case you are ever around there!

I feel your pain about not being able to find this squash! Here in Greece I can’t even find a butternut squash most of the time … only once in a while, when I grab it and quickly think of something to make with it! Maybe next time I find one I’ll give this a go … it’s a wonderful idea to roast it with Thai flavours!
P.S. I’m seeing Thai flavours everywhere this evening … and coincidentally I also cooked a Thai green curry tonight! Weird!

Trust me, I bake kabocha year round. What a bummer it’s not available where you are! I live in the bay area with a lot of Asian grocers, so I guess it’s more common… I never realized it’s hard to find. Also, roasted shallots topping? Genius!

Thanks, Gina! The shallots taste amazing with the squash! An Asian grocer is where I finally found Kabocha squash, and unfortunately there isn’t one in my neighborhood. But I am going to go out of my way in the future to find this squash because it is so great!

I love squash…the entire family. I wonder why it’s so hard to find in the city. We have lots upstate. This looks so delicious. A great combination of flavors. Thai is always a favorite :). Funny story: my husband hates fish and thinks it’s gross but loves Thai food. We even had our first date at a Thai restaurant. But he doesn’t know that most dishes have fish sauce in them. When I make cook at home I use fish sauce too daily but I have a brand that’s in all Thai and not English so he is still clueless lol!!

Sounds fabulous, Cate! I love squash and I love Thai flavors too. This sounds a lot like a quicker version of a soup I love to make- it’s called Pumpkin Laksa and it’s full of lemongrass, ginger, coconut milk, and cilantro. Oh and I’m so glad you got over your fear of fish sauce, too- it tastes nothing like fish and nothing like it smells (thank goodness!). Pinning this gorgeous dish; have a great weekend, dear! xoxo